S.B. No. 1151

	AN ACT
	relating to the comptroller's access to criminal history record
	information of wrongfully imprisoned persons and certain annuity
	payments payable to surviving spouses and designated beneficiaries
	of those persons.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1.  Section 103.0535, Civil Practice and Remedies
	Code, is amended by amending Subsection (d) and adding Subsection
	(d-1) to read as follows:
	(d)  An election under this section must be made not later
	than the 45th day after the date:
	(1)  on which the claimant files with the comptroller
	the application required by Section 103.051; or
	(2)  on which the claimant experiences one of the
	following life-changing events:
	(A)  marriage or divorce of the claimant;
	(B)  the addition of a dependent of the claimant;
	or
	(C)  the death of a dependent, spouse, or
	beneficiary of the claimant.
	(d-1)  An election under Subsection (d) must be made on a
	form prescribed by the comptroller that:
	(1)  identifies the claimant's spouse or designated
	beneficiary according to Section 103.0536; and
	(2)  specifies the option selected under Subsection
	(c).
	SECTION 2.  Section 411.109(a), Government Code, is amended
	to read as follows:
	(a)  The comptroller is entitled to obtain from the
	department criminal history record information maintained by the
	department that the comptroller believes is necessary for the
	enforcement or administration of Chapter 103, Civil Practice and
	Remedies Code, or Chapter 151, 152, 154, 155, or 162, Tax Code,
	including criminal history record information that relates to a
	person who is:
	(1)  an applicant for a permit under any of those
	chapters;
	(2)  a permit holder under any of those chapters;
	(3)  an officer, director, stockholder owning 10
	percent or more of the outstanding stock, partner, owner, or
	managing employee of an applicant or permit holder under any of
	those chapters that is a corporation, association, joint venture,
	syndicate, partnership, or proprietorship;
	(4)  believed to have violated any of those chapters;
	[or]
	(5)  being considered by the comptroller for employment
	as a peace officer; or
	(6)  receiving, scheduled to receive, or applying to
	receive compensation under Chapter 103, Civil Practice and Remedies
	Code.
	SECTION 3.  (a)  Notwithstanding Section 103.0535(d), Civil
	Practice and Remedies Code, as amended by this Act, a person
	entitled to compensation under Section 103.001(a), Civil Practice
	and Remedies Code, who started receiving annuity payments before
	the effective date of this Act may elect to receive any remaining
	payments as alternative annuity payments under Section 103.0535,
	Civil Practice and Remedies Code, as amended by this Act, by filing
	the form described by Section 103.0535(d-1), Civil Practice and
	Remedies Code, as added by this Act, with the comptroller after
	December 31, 2019, and before March 1, 2020. The value of
	alternative annuity payments elected under this subsection must be
	actuarially equivalent to the remaining value of the annuity
	payments the person would receive absent the election.  This
	subsection does not affect the ability of a person described by this
	subsection to make an election under Section 103.0535(d), Civil
	Practice and Remedies Code, as amended by this Act, following a
	life-changing event described by that subsection.
	(b)  Not later than December 1, 2019, the comptroller shall
	provide notice to all persons entitled to compensation under
	Section 103.001(a), Civil Practice and Remedies Code, of:
	(1)  the opportunity described by Subsection (a) of
	this section to elect to receive alternative annuity payments under
	Section 103.0535, Civil Practice and Remedies Code, as amended by
	this Act; and
	(2)  the opportunity to elect to receive alternative
	annuity payments after a life-changing event under Section
	103.0535(d), Civil Practice and Remedies Code, as amended by this
	Act.
	(c)  The comptroller shall provide the notice required by
	Subsection (b) of this section by:
	(1)  certified mail to a person's last known address;
	and
	(2)  phone call to the phone number that the
	comptroller has on file for the person.
	SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
	Act takes effect September 1, 2019.
	______________________________	______________________________
	President of the Senate	Speaker of the House
	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1151 passed the Senate on
	April 11, 2019, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays 0;
	May 23, 2019, Senate refused to concur in House amendments and
	requested appointment of Conference Committee; May 23, 2019, House
	granted request of the Senate; May 26, 2019, Senate adopted
	Conference Committee Report by the following vote:  Yeas 31,
	Nays 0.
	______________________________
	Secretary of the Senate
	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1151 passed the House, with
	amendments, on May 17, 2019, by the following vote:  Yeas 146,
	Nays 0, one present not voting; May 23, 2019, House granted request
	of the Senate for appointment of Conference Committee;
	May 26, 2019, House adopted Conference Committee Report by the
	following vote:  Yeas 145, Nays 0, one present not voting.
	______________________________
	Chief Clerk of the House
	Approved:
	______________________________
	Date
	______________________________
	Governor